Plans for a major face lift for a Peel street have been met with strong reactions from supporters and objectors.

The Department of Infrastructure has applied to regenerate Michael Street, saying it has reached the end of its useful life.

The bid (20/00455/B) includes plans for rain gardens and granite paving stones.

However, commissioner Ian Davison was less than impressed when he was shown the proposed materials by DoI officers.

’That’s rubbish. That’s not red and it’s not representative of Peel’ he said. ’We’re going to get ripped to bits with them. You’re going to have to come up with a better colour.

He added: ’Are we getting the dregs from Ramsey and Douglas?’ Commissioner Hazel Hannan said the plans were ’imposed on us without consultation’ and would take away from the town’s identity.

However, chairman Alan Jones, who is ’broadly in favour’ of the proposals, fears if the commissioners delay, funding could be pulled on the scheme.

’We’ve got to bite the bullet’ he said. ’The danger is that we’ll miss an opportunity if we sit here and do nothing.’

The plans were on display in Peel town hall last week and the commissioners say they are waiting for more consultation with residents before they submit their thoughts to planners.

DoI construction manager Gary Saunders told the Examiner the overall public response to the scheme had been ’mixed’.

It is anticipated the project would take about nine months to complete if it gets under way as planned in September.

Mr Saunders said: ’Just like any of these regeneration schemes, there is going to be an impact.

’We are going to impact businesses so one of the purposes of today is to get in touch with some of the business owners so we can start that communication now and make sure that we’re on board with them.

’We know it’s going to be impact and we want to talk to them as soon as we can to mitigate that.’